Some frontline health workers who worked with the Lagos State Government during the second wave of COVID-19 have accused the government of not paying them the allowances due to them for four months.

The affected health workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were not happy with the way the state government had refused to pay them.

“I was among those that worked at the Indo isolation centre from September to November 2020; I was not paid. I also worked at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba from January to April, I was not also paid. We risked our lives and that of our families, not considering the poor welfare package from the state government,” one of them said.

Another health worker who does not want her name in print, said, “I was among those that worked at the isolation centres located at the Mainland hospital, Yaba, from January to April 2021. It is very disheartening that despite all our efforts in taking care of patients, we were not paid our allowances. We were not well taken care of; we worked tirelessly and had sleepless nights.

“At a point, our health was compromised, we summoned the courage to take care of ourselves. Despite all this, we haven’t been paid our allowances for four months. We were not given the allowances entitled to us. No accommodation during the time we worked at the isolation centre, we used our personal money for transportation. We were surprised when the Governor said on Arise TV show recently that all COVID-19 allowances for health workers had been paid till May 2021.”

One of the affected health workers also said situations like this were reasons why health workers were leaving the country to practice where they would be appreciated.

She said, “Situations like this are what makes people take backstage when it comes to being patriotic. When I decided to volunteer, I had a lot of fears and worries. Leaving a barely six months old child to battle the fight was the height of being patriotic.

“Someone has to do it right; some of us were bold enough to take the risk not minding what happens eventually. Who knows the long-term effect we still carry around as no one understands the virus 100 per cent to date? The peanuts we were to be given as allowances have not been paid.

“The kind of risk we took wasn’t just for money sake, this is a country I can’t lift a finger for anymore once it has passed my regular work and pay. If the governor claimed he has signed the payment, then where is the money I worked for? This is a country where health workers are leaving every day, yet some people think it is not a problem.”

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, in an interview with our correspondent, however, dismissed the allegation.

He urged the affected health workers to seek clarification from the state Ministry of Health.

“It is not true that the state government is owing them the allowances due to them. All those who participated in the COVID-19 response have been paid,” Omotoso said.